Arson is a looming threat facing Victoria as firefighters scale up their response to a dangerous bushfire season that began earlier than expected.
Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said authorities were monitoring bushfire risks such as hot and windy conditions, and the threat of arson as crews prepared for a long fire season.
"Arson is one of the key issues that we will deal with," he told reporters on Thursday.
Victorian police were monitoring known arsonists, given the fire-prone conditions, Mr Lapsley said.
Meanwhile, Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett is waiting for a response from the federal government on Victoria's request for two large air tankers to be kept ready on the state's border with South Australia.
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"The national government does have a role to play in making sure the entire country is protected during a very dangerous fire season, and that's why we're calling on them to extend the role they already play," she told reporters.
Ms Garrett has met her South Australian counterpart to discuss their bushfire preparations.
On Thursday, all planned burns across Victoria were cancelled as temperatures reached 34C and wind speeds rose to 35km/h.
Despite this, CFA firefighters were called out to 11 fires across the state, which had all been extinguished, Mr Lapsley said.
They are still monitoring the Lancefield fire, which was sparked by a controlled burn jumped containment lines during hot and windy conditions on October 6.
It took the CFA almost a week to fully contain the blaze in rocky central Victorian hill country. It burnt through 3000 hectares, destroying four houses, 23 sheds, two vehicles and farm equipment.
